Aranu’tiq Founder Nick Teich at White House in Fall 2012

In September 2012, Nick was invited to an LGBT leaders day at the White House followed by a dinner at Vice President Biden’s home in Washington. There, Biden spoke about the importance of moving LGBT rights forward. Nick returned to a policy roundtable in November where he and other transgender policy leaders met with senior White House officials to discuss the president’s next steps in his new term regarding transgender rights. Nick was proud to represent Camp Aranu’tiq. He joined the Trevor Project and GLSEN in speaking about transgender youth and the need for tighter federal legislation to prevent bullying in schools. He was excited to personally tell VP Biden, our “second lady” Dr. Jill Biden, and John Berry, director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, about Camp Aranu’tiq. They were all thrilled to hear that such a program exists.

Congressman Barney Frank Speaks About Aranu’tiq

Posted on May 4, 2010

On April 25, Congressman Barney Frank spoke to a group of about 30 camp supporters in Newton, Mass. as we gear up for our first summer.

Frank is a longtime LGBT advocate, member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 30 years, and the current Chairman of the Financial Services Committee. He was the first Congressperson to ever come out publicly as gay.

While Nick Teich worked for Frank prior to Nick’s own gender transition, Frank has now become the first member of the Congress to hire an openly transgender person, Diego Sanchez, to work for him on Capitol Hill.

Congressman Frank talked about the importance of having a place like Camp Aranu’tiq. He made the important point that it is hard enough being any young kid or a teenager because peers can be relentless. When you add transgenderism or gender variance to the mix, he explained, it becomes that much more difficult to navigate through childhood and young adulthood. He enthusiastically urged the audience to support Aranu’tiq.

Frank also spoke about the debate over federal nondiscrimination laws for transgender and gender-variant/nonconforming people. He talked about people’s panic over public restrooms being a main factor in the debate on this issue. In a recent conversation with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Frank, using his trademark mix of sarcasm and wit, said he dared her to show him one member of Congress who did not grow up in a home with “unisex” bathrooms.

We thank Congressman Frank for taking time out of his incredibly busy schedule to encourage people to support Camp Aranu’tiq.